Parting the Mists

It’s easy to see this little bird and not think much of it. Don’t be fooled – this was the Druid’s bird as well as the smart and strategic King of Birds in Celtic myth. Look again.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Page of Arrows – Wren

MEANING: The colors of the Goldcrest – red, white, green, and black – were once held to be sacred and the common Wren was considered a guardian of the winter mysteries. Druids kept wrens as totem animals of augers and prophecy and ritually sacrificed them on Saint Stephen’s day, December 26.

READING POINTS: Study and application brings wisdom and understanding that can be applied to most situations. Your youth and determination will carry forward and your nascent skills bring you to a dynamic realization.

TRACKS AND PATHWAYS: Watchfulness, mystery, determination, work, scholarship, wisdom, and a vigilant guardian.

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artists Will Worthington

Read Full Post »

Happy Thursday, everyone! The last time this card greeted us was in December. Seems strange to see it now, when my personal world is rather hot and sticky!

Just because it’s summer (for those of us in the Northern Hem, anyway) doesn’t mean that we cannot take time for reflection and connect with ancestors. Perhaps tonight we should go outside and gaze at the northern stars and let ourselves think of what we need to work on within ourselves.

Blessings!

Spirit Keeper of the North

Meaning: Take time for contemplation. Turn within. Connect with your ancestors. Incubate ideas. Mend relationships. Watch your dreams and meditate. The answers are inside you waiting to be heard. Stay warm. Create dreams for your future. Repair whatever is broken in your home and your life. Forgive those people and situations that you’ve been dragging around for a while.

Native Spirit Wisdom: In the medicine wheel, the north is the direction that symbolizes the darkest time of night, the coldest part of winter, the dark of the moon. It also represents the elder time of life and even a time of endings. Pulling the Spirit Keeper of the North indicates that it’s time to take measure of your life. Explore what’s working and what’s not working. What and whom do you need to release? It’s also the time to make repairs in your physical environment, as well as make repairs to your body. Additionally, this is the time to begin to dream and make plans regarding your future. Your ancestors are close at this time; call on them. They want to help you.

The Journey: Stand outdoors at night, facing north. Inhale the darkness. Sink into your own depth. In the stillness, ancient wisdom emerges.

Native Spirit Oracle by author Denise Lynn and artist Charles McStravick

Read Full Post »

So often we rush through life without appreciating the wonders around us. This is has lead to the current environmental situation we find ourselves in. Take time to appreciate and take joy in life.

Also, White Buffalo was a close second card today – suggesting that abundance is coming and balance will prevail. You may have to stand up for others, but you have the support and strength needed to do it!

NATURE SPIRITS

Meaning: Joy, the light, peaks of carefree abandon. Living wildly, magically, and free. Be open to the wonders of the universe flooding into your life. Innocence and delight are abounding. Happiness is on its way!

Native Spirit Wisdom: Almost every indigenous culture recounts stories of fairies, often called little people, and nature spirits. Although some of the fairies act in protection of their wildlands and should be treated with care and respect, most often they bring blessings and light to all in the room. If this Nature Spirit card chooses you, then welcome to a wellspring of joy and magic. Beneath the surface, mystical interventions are occurring in your life. Relax. All is well.

The Journey: Even taking a few moments of stillness in the natural world can help you attune to the world of the little people and nature spirits. If you see a small flash of light or a movement of a leaf on a windless day, these are often signs that the wee folk are near. 

Native Spirit Oracle by author Denise Linn and artist Charles McStravick

Read Full Post »

Sorry I missed the last two days – I got caught up in work around the house and errands. Oops! Now, on to the card for your weekend. 🙂

Obviously, this card refers to craftsmanship and doing excellent work. It also speaks to workers who are mistreated. If this is the case, we (like Wayland) must focus to overcome such a workplace and be free to be productive and creative in a healthy way. While this may be the case for some of us, others may need to focus on learning a skill or technique to fulfill their productive desires.

To me, the card also indicates patience. Thoughts?

Blessings!

Eight of Shields – Wayland

Meaning: Employment, commissions, craftsmanship. The positive, productive use of one’s skills. Focusing one’s energy work. Employment that brings self-satisfaction. Intense labor. A creative endeavor. Learning a new skill or trade. Having a modest attitude toward accomplishments. Enjoying work and the rewards it brings.

On the flip side, this card could indicate that you dream the workplace and feel trapped, despondent, or unmotivated. An unfulfilling profession. Producing poor quality work. Exploitation, vanity, and hypocrisy.

The Story: Deep within the earth, Wayland practices his craft.

The Saxon smith Wayland is the Norse smith Volundr who became incorporated into the mythology of Britain. Wayland was the master craftsman to the gods, whose weapons were so fine that they sang in the air. The coveted work of this god of smiths led King Nidud to abduct him. Nidud hamstrung the smith to prevent his escape and then forced his lame prisoner to work.

The art of the smith and magician were thought to be closely related, and it was by magic that the smith eventually escaped the clutches of Nidud, after which he sought a terrible revenge upon the king’s family.

Over time, Wayland became associated with many of Britain’s ancient sites, and appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s The Life of Merlin. The spirit of Wayland is said to haunt a neolithic burial chamber known as Wayland’s Smithy in Oxfordshire. Tradition maintains that if one were to leave a horse and coin at the chamber overnight, on returning in the morning one would find the coin gone and the horse shod.

Legend: An Arthurian Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson

Read Full Post »

Last night, we watched “The Mighty,” a late 90s film about two boys inspired by the Arthurian knights. I guess it put those tales in my mind, because I chose an Arthurian deck today. It’s a timely card for me, and I hope it proves useful to all of you!

Blessings.

Strength – Percivale’s Vision

Meaning: Having the courage and vitality to realize one’s goals. Ambition tempered with serenity – a gentle strength. Intelligence and reason united with enthusiasm and energy. Discipline; channeling one’s passions in a constructive way. Having the strength of convictions. Drawing on resources of inner strength to resist temptation. Listening to the inner voice for direction. Understanding the consequences of one’s actions.

This card might also indicate the loss of courage or abandoning one’s own values. Being driven by impulses. Unjustified use of strength. Resorting to intimidation in an effort to manipulate and control others. Being seduced into dismissing one’s own code of conduct.

The Story: (remember, these stories were written in Christian times) In his quest for the Grail, Percivale find himself marooned on an island wilderness of beasts. On seeing a great battle between a lion and a serpent, Percivale killed the serpent, judging the lion to be the gentler of the two. This won him a great friend in the lion. That night Percivale dreamt of two women: one young and beautiful, riding a lion; the other old and wizened, riding a serpent. The Maid warned him that the next day he would do battle with the strongest of champions, and should he fail he would be shamed until the world’s end. She disappeared. Then, the Crone spoke of the serpent he had killed, claiming it belonged to her. In order to make amends, she suggested that he become her man. He refused. She assured him he would eventually be hers.

The next day, he had a vision of an old man who told him to be chivalrous. He said the young maid represented the holy church and faith and that the old crone represented the old ways and shouldn’t be heeded. Later, a ship arrived on the island with a beautiful woman who claimed to have been disinherited and banished. Percivale promised to help her and in return she fed him in her pavillion and would help him off the island.

As he ate, he became infatuated with her and pleaded with her to be his. She accepted on the condition that he swore “by the faith of his body to serve only her” and to do whatever she said. He agreed and waited for her to undress. Spying a crucifix as he waited, he remembered the old man and made the sign of the cross. The pavilion evaporated away as if smoke, as did the beautiful woman.

After almost succumbing to temptation, Percivale did not believe himself worthy of the Grail, and wounded himself in the thigh to punish his weak flesh. Yet the old man of his vision returned in a ship and took him off the island. He explained that both the seductress and the old crone were both the Devil himself.

Legend: The Arthurian Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson

Read Full Post »

It’s been three years since we’ve seen this card. Take note to stay the course of truth, and watch out for those who are false. In today’s world, it is all too easy to be misguided.

Blessings!

TWO OF ARROWS – INJUSTICE

MEANING: The scales of natural justice have been skewed by false judgments, ignorance, or arrogance. Sitting in judgment with unbalanced scales to an untrue premise, however ardently or sincerely, will not prevail. The bow is broken and useless through prejudice and misuse.

DESCRIPTION: The enthroned and faceless figure of Justice sits like a statue, her feet resting on an ancient wooden longbow. Her eyes are bound and she wears a simple white gown. Above her head are the uneven scales, one plate bearing a feather, the other a few coins. She holds two arrows in her arms.

READING POINTS: False conclusions and unjust decisions, based on disinformation and motivated by fear, greed, and prejudice, can cause innumerable problems. Either mistakenly or deliberately distributed to pervert the course of natural justice and the revelation of the facts by those who fear the truth and wish to manipulate the situation for personal control or gain, this propaganda will not survive honest, wise, and impartial scrutiny. In many worldly situations the truth becomes hijacked and twisted to become a false message, designed to confuse and instill fear in those seeking clear insight. The wise seeker questions and tests false messages and discerns the validity of a harmful accusation. Perversions of the truth will always bring frustration and bitterness to the individual or group that deploys such dishonorable tactics. The perpetrator of lies and falsehoods will always be judged as an unreliable source, bent on mischief and destructive interference. For the victim of the injustice, the best defense of the truth is always more truth.

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington

Read Full Post »

This card seemed a little odd of a choice for today, but it was the strongest of the three cards. The Vulture card was the second one, and represents purification and rebalance (just in case any of you aren’t feeling the Otter’ message). Though some of us will be focusing on work or responsibilities on this Monday, perhaps we need to approach it more playfully.

Blessings!

Otter – Unobstructed Joy, Playfulness, Contentment

Perhaps the most joyful creature within the Animal Spirit deck, the Otter represents absolute bliss. Otter energy is the playfulness of a child, available to us at any age. They have a giddiness and reverence for life itself, without the presence of doubt, worry, or skepticism. Imagine yourself with a little more Otter energy. What would life look like? What would it take to bring you there? The Otter card begs these three questions, and wants to transport us to that precious place as soon as possible. The celebration awaits.

When in balance: full of love, needs nothing

When out of balance: gloomy, sighs, makes silly excuses

To bring into balance: dance party or celebration

The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Oracle by Kim Krans

Read Full Post »

OK, these two were both pulling strong today. I’m feeling the Tower card is the situation and the Knight card if possibly our action. Thoughts?

Have a great weekend and see you Monday!

The Tower

Represents the spirit facing destruction. The air is charged and the Owl of Wisdom and Omen is face to face with you.

This could mean a change in a complete or sudden manner, unexpected events, adversity, loss of stability, destruction, and so forth. Definitely a challenge coming ahead.

Knight of Wands

This represents a journey, advancement into the unknown, alteration, or absence. But take a look at this card. The familiar is relaxed in position but alert in expression. The mouse he might normally chase is being allowed near as he may not be an ally. Resting against the witch’s hat and shoes suggests tapping into your energy and magic for the challenge ahead.

Familiars Tarot by Lisa Parker

Read Full Post »